Quinn's Older Sister
by reviewgirl911
Summary: Have you ever wondered about Quinn's older sister? Well, this is the untold story of Tiffany Fabray. What happens when she comes back to help her broken family? What secrets of Quinn's will come out? Set after season one with select events of S2.
1. Finally Home

_Lima Airport, 9:30 AM_

_Tiffany Fabray stepped off the plane that had just arrived from San Francisco in the only airport in Lima, Ohio. It had been two years since she had last been home and hadn't missed it at all. It wasn't hard not to miss the small town, with its narrow-minded, judgmental citizens and lack of excitement. If there was one thing Tiffany had craved from a young age, it was excitement. She didn't miss her parents either. She knew nobody would miss her father, the tyrant of their household, and her mother, a weak pushover. If there was one thing Tiffany missed about Lima, it was her little sister Quinn._

_Quinn was basically Tiffany's polar opposite: quiet, kind, obedient, and always looking for stability. Her older sister could understand why. During their childhood, their family was an act. To the town, the Fabrays looked like the perfect functional family. Behind closed doors, however, it was a whole different story. The Fabrays paid little attention to their two little girls, preferring to spend their times having violent screaming matches. Tiffany acted as Quinn's mother, teaching the little girl how to read and ride a bike. She was the one who held Quinn when the nightmares got too bad. Tiffany would reassure her little sister everything would be alright._

_Both the girls took their faith serious from a very young age. One of the few things Mrs. Fabray took the time to do was teach her daughters their prayers. The sisters would often find comfort in praying together. For a long time, Quinn believed God listened to her prayers more seriously if her sister was there. Of course, she would eventually learn better, but a little kid will believe anything you tell them._

_Tiffany went to baggage claim and grabbed her three bags. She only expected to stay in Lima a few months, so she figured she could just buy clothes if she needed them. Tiffany smirked at the thought. It sounded like something her mother would do. Her mother was the reason she was back in Lima. Mrs. Fabray sent her oldest daughter a letter detailing her husband's infidelity and Quinn's pregnancy. Tiffany booked a flight home right after she read the letter. She had to make sure her little sister was okay._

_Tiffany couldn't believe Quinn had done what she did. It was so out of character for her little sister. Quinn had always been so sweet and pure. Tiffany knew her sister had a bitchy side. She had taught her everything she knew, after all. Tiffany had been captain of the Cheerios all four years she had been at McKinley. Her mother hadn't given her many details other than her father had been kicked out and Quinn had her baby a few months ago and given it up for adoption. She always knew her parents weren't perfect, but she never thought they would kick Quinn out for making a mistake._

_Tiffany went outside to get a Metro Car. It didn't take long with her charm and good looks. If you looked at the two sisters together, you'd think they were twins. Of course, Tiffany was a few inches taller and Quinn had always been skinner. Tiffany remembered a time, during their childhood, when Quinn ate normally. When her little sister hit middle school, however, everything changed. Quinn started skipping meals. It didn't become a huge problem until she entered eighth grade. Tiffany noticed how skeletal her little sister had become but was too busy fighting with their parents to take action._

"_Where to, miss?" the elder man driving the car asked sweetly. _

_Tiffany flipped her long blond hair and smiled the dazzling Fabray smile. "McKinley High School, please," she replied politely. The man nodded and pulled out of the airport. Tiffany had unfinished business to attend to at McKinley. _

_Tiffany had always had dreamed of being a performer. From a young age, she had loved to sing and dance. She would teach Quinn what she had learned, and the sisters would put on shows for their friends. Santana and Brittany usually joined them. The Fabrays thought it was cute when the girls were little, but when Tiffany got into high school, everything changed. She tried to join glee club, but they wouldn't let her. The Fabrays forced their oldest daughter to accept an invitation to be a Cheerio. It turned out to be a smart move. Being a Cheerio taught Tiffany how to deal with people, to be a bitch when necessary. Ms. Sylvester was like a mentor to her; together, they won four national titles. _

_One of the biggest regrets Tiffany had after running away to San Francisco was not joining glee club. That was why she opened her own club, no alcohol but a lot of killer talent. Her parents' official cover story was that she had married a nice Christian man and volunteered for some charity in Colorado. Tiffany's real whereabouts were a well kept secret. She was pretty sure that her parents had told no one and Quinn had probably only told Santana and Brittany. _

_That was why Tiffany was going to McKinley. She wanted to see if whoever was now coaching glee club needed some extra help. It was the least she could do. Plus, she wanted to keep a watchful eye on Quinn, who she knew was now in glee club. Tiffany wasn't sure how that happened, but was curious to find out. There were so many questions she had for her mother and sister._

_The Fabray Home, 11:20 AM_

_Quinn stared in the mirror, dressed only in her bra and underwear. She stared at her body. Quinn had lost all the baby weight over the summer and hadn't stopped losing. She was down to 100 lbs. An outsider would look at her ribs and how you could trace them with your fingers and feel sorry for her. This gave Quinn a sense of accomplishment. She had gained back her body. Her waist was tinier if that was even possible. Everything she bought was either a size two or zero depending on the brand. Quinn didn't dare ti share her secret with anyone. They'd just tell her how unhealthy it was. She had stopped caring. _

_Quinn had been through a lot in the past year and was trying to regain her life back one step at a time. The weight went first, then getting back on the Cheerios. Quinn had left the girl who picked on people behind; she was gone. The bitchy girl who used her evil for good was still there, however. Quinn had reconnected with Brittany and Santana over the summer. They were her two oldest childhood friends and were the only ones who knew the real story of what happened to her sister. _

_Quinn's older sister, Tiffany, had been her idol growing up. Being four years older, she was held up as an example to Quinn. Tiffany was all the things Quinn was not: wild, carefree, spirited, and lively. She drove their parents crazy. Tiffany had a good heart but also possessed critical eye when it came to her parents. Quinn grew up with both her parents fighting all the time, her older sister comforting her. She suspected it was why she was always seeking something safe. The things she enjoyed most in her life, like Glee, were the things that truly scared her because there was no safety net, _

_Tiffany had a huge fight with her parents about her future after graduation. She had wanted to become a performer while the Fabrays wanted her to go to law school. She had ran off to San Francisco without leaving behind anything more than a note for Quinn. The younger girl had been fourteen, just getting ready to go into high school. She needed her sister's guidance but couldn't get it. That was when her eating disorder had took a turn for the worst. _

_Suddenly, Quinn's cell phone rang. She picked it up and put it on speaker so that she could get dressed while she talked. It was Mercedes. "Hey girl! Ready for some serious shopping?" the chocolate diva asked excitedly. Quinn smiled; shopping trips with Mercedes and Kurt were always an event within itself. They had also become closer over the summer. Quinn loved how witty Kurt was; she didn't really get that much wit in her day to day conversations. _

"_Definitely. I'm ready to wear something other than baby doll dresses. In fact, I think I'm going to burn all of them." Quinn answered enthusiastically. _

_Mercedes gasped. Her blond friend was a huge fan of the baby doll dress. "Kurt's going to be thrilled to hear you say that," she joked. And it was true; he had be working relentless to get Quinn out of the baby doll dresses._

"_Don't I know it," she replied sassily. Quinn stared at her phone only to discover that her battery was dying. "Hey Mercedes, I have to call you back later. My phone is dying."_

"_Kay girl. See ya later!" Mercedes replied cheerfully. Quinn smiled at her friend's upbeat attitude and said goodbye. She went into her closet and grabbed an outfit. Quinn put on white skinny jeans, a simple pink cashmere tank top, a cardigan a shade darker than her top, and sparkly ballet flats. Quinn had discovered that she actually really liked cardigans. _

_Quinn wished that someone really cared. She knew God loved her, but she still felt bad for having sex. She knew her friends cared, but she didn't want to give them a reason to ditch her. Quinn wasn't sure that her mother cared. There was only one person who had ever truly cared: Tiffany. And whether she wanted to admit it or not, Quinn really could use her big sister's help. She was drowning and didn't know how to get out._

_Quinn looked at the pictures she had placed around her room. There was one of her, Kurt, and Mercedes at the Lady Gaga concert. They had all worn their costumes from glee, and it had been a blast. There was one of all the glee club going bowling. A shot of her, Santana, and Brittany sat on her dresser. It was one of their more recent sleepovers, the kind they use to have when they were little. She laughed at the memory. There was one of her and Rachel swimming. Of all the people in glee club, Quinn was most shocked of how close she and Rachel had become. Sure, Quinn still found the brunette annoying from time to time, but now it was annoying she could handle. The last shot was of Puck. He was sitting on the hood of his car, smirking. This shot made Quinn want to cry. She still loved Puck, but she knew he wasn't ready for a relationship. These people were the only thing keeping Quinn afloat. Without them, she would've already sunk to the bottom, with no way out._

_The weird thing was that she remembered a time where she hadn't needed rescuing and had still been able to eat. But, those times passed when Tiffany left, and she wasn't going to get them back any time soon._


	2. Can You Feel the Love Tonight

McKinley High School, 12:00 PM

Tiffany walked down the halls of her alma mater, stopping on occasion to see if anything had changed. Nothing really had. The trophy case still didn't have a single football trophy in it and was still dominated by the Cheerios. Tiffany was pleased to see that none of her trophies had been taking out of the case. She also noticed one with Quinn's name on it. This shocked Tiffany, who hadn't thought her sister would ever join the Cheerios after seeing what she had gone through. Then again, it was a family tradition.

She came to a halt at what she hoped was still the choir room. Tiffany heard singing coming from the inside and looked through the window to see her old Spanish teacher, Mr. Schuester, playing his guitar. She pushed the half-opened door a little more open so she could hear. Tiffany instantly recognized the song. It was Can You Feel the Love Tonight from the Lion King, sung by the great Elton John. She remembered how that was the only song that would sooth Quinn after a bad nightmare. Tiffany still knew all the words; it was a piece of her past that she had held onto. Mr. Schuester was just singing the ending verse:

It's enough to make kings and vagabonds

Believe the very best

Tiffany surprised her former teacher by walking in and clapping. "That was good," she said, surprise on her face. "I didn't know you could sing."

Mr. Schuester shook his head in amazement. "Tiffany Fabray. You're the last person I'd ever expect to come here on a Saturday. Especially since your family hasn't heard from you." he replied, trying to be stern but failing at it. He had always thought there was something special about the older Fabray girl that could been seen in her younger sister. Mr. Schuester had been surprised that Quinn never mentioned her sister or even said she had one.

Tiffany looked down at her feet, ashamed. "I know. I came back because my dad was cheating on my mom and she kicked him out. My family needs me now." She almost added mostly Quinn, but hesitated. Tiffany didn't know how much Mr. Schuester knew about her little sister and wasn't about to take any chances.

These words hit the teacher hard. Quinn hadn't said anything about her parents splitting up. She had only said her mom let her move back in. Mr. Shue felt bad for what Quinn was going through. He admired Quinn because she'd handled adult situations with a level of maturity he didn't see from most of his students. Mr. Shue knew she'd go far in life. "Your sister has had a hard year," he said quietly.

Tiffany didn't say anything, gesturing for Mr. Shue to explain. "Her baby's father was her boyfriend's best friend, and the boyfriend didn't know that at first. Needless to say, that didn't turn out well. Then your parents kicked her out, and she lived in three places before your mother let her move back in. To top it off, she was kicked off the Cheerios."

Tiffany tried to process all of this. It was a lot to take in. She couldn't believe Quinn would sleep with her boyfriend's best friend. It just wasn't the Quinn she knew. Tiffany had known that the Fabrays had been angry after finding out Quinn was pregnant but hadn't known they had kicked her out. That wasn't a Christian thing to do at all. She wondered who her little sister had lived with and made a mental note to find out. And Tiffany had figured Quinn was no longer a Cheerio after not seeing her name on the most recent trophy.

A tear ran down her face. Tiffany felt like a terrible sister. But, she needed to be strong right now. Tiffany turned on the Cheerio mode she hadn't used in so long and said, "Mr. Schuester, I have a proposition for you. I'll be your co-coach of the glee club because I know even you need help once in a while. You'll do vocal and I'll do choreography. You still get to pick the songs, and I'll handle costumes, out of my own pocket."

Mr. Schuester smiled at the generous offer. "That sounds great, but we can't pay you," he admitted sadly.

Tiffany shrugged. "I'll work for free." Money didn't matter to her. She had a successful business in San Francisco and didn't really need the cash. "But, I am using my time here for college credit." That was a lie, but Tiffany needed to make it look like she was gaining something from this.

"Great! You'll start Monday. It's our first glee club rehearsal of the year." Mr. Schue replied cheerfully. He handed her a list of the glee members, and Tiffany was pleased to see Santana and Brittany on the list. "Oh, and have a number ready for the kids just to prove you know what you're doing," he added before Tiffany left. She nodded.

Tiffany pratically skipped down the halls. Her plan was working. Now she'd be doing what she loved and keeping a close eye on Quinn. The only thing she was dreading was going home.

Lima Mall, 1:30 PM

Quinn looked at the windows of H&M, eyeing the white halter dress in the window. Kurt noticed this and nodded his head in approval. They were sitting down at a Mrs. Field while Mercedes went to the bathroom. Quinn was hypnotized by the smell of the cookies nearby and tried to think of something other than the fact she hadn't ate yet that day.

Kurt was in his own head, imagining up new looks for all of his friends. Quinn was first up. First, he wanted to get rid of all the baby-doll dresses. And maybe the cardigans, if he could pry them out of her hands. Kurt knew the blond could rock that look like no one's business, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't broaden her horizons. He wanted to give Quinn a little more edge so she wouldn't be so sickeningly sweet looking all the time. Maybe some leather or ripped jeans. Kurt wasn't quite sure what he was going to do yet, but whatever he did, it would look fabulous.

Kurt looked the fingers that were drumming the table. They were long and bony, almost unnaturally so. He noticed the rest of Quinn was practically skeletal, a huge change from the beginning of the summer. Quinn lost of her baby weight in three weeks to everyone's amazement. Kurt still wasn't sure how she had done it.

Quinn tapped her fingers on the table, waiting for Mercedes to come back. There was silence, but not the forced, awkward kind. It was the kind of silence that occurred when two people were deep in thought. Quinn was thinking about her sister again. She wondered if Tiffany knew what had been going on in her life. Quinn guessed no since her parents had told her they didn't know where her older sister was. She remembered that day so vividly. It had been one of the worst days of Quinn's life. She cried all day and had yelled at God. Quinn hadn't understand why He had decided to let that happen. Her sister was her rock; without Tiffany, Quinn didn't know how to stay afloat.

Kurt knew something was on his friend's mind. Quinn was easy to read once you tuned into her frequency. "Are you okay?" he asked carefully.

Quinn smiled at her friend's concern. "I think so," she replied with a half-hearted smile. Quinn wasn't sure about anything anymore.

Kurt just accepted this answer, not asking any further questions. He had a hunch of what his blond friend was thinking about: Puck. Those two were like two broken magnets: they should repel each other, but they don't. Mercedes thinks the two are perfect together, but Kurt has his doubts. He didn't think Puck had proven himself to Quinn. She needed someone more dependable and safe. Someone that made her comfortable. Quinn would never be that way with Puck. All her rationality flew out the door whenever she was with him. That's how she got pregnant, after all.

Mercedes came back from the restroom to find her best friends in a peaceful silence. "Hey y'all, ready to go?" she asked cheerfully.

"Yep!" Quinn and Kurt cheerfully replied at the same time. Mercedes laughed as Quinn called jinx. Kurt stomped his feet in defeat.

"Okay, where are we going next?" Mercedes asked her blond friend. They were going in a certain order: Kurt picked a shop, then Mercedes, and then Quinn.

"H&M. That halter dress in the window is calling my name." Quinn answered casually. The friends walked into the busy, loud store. Kelly Clarkson's I Do Not Hook Up was playing in the background. Quinn wished she had heard this song before sleeping with Puck. It might've given her some common sense, even while drunk.

Quinn scoured the store before finding the dress she was looking for. She grabbed it in a two and a zero just to make sure she got the right fit. Kurt handed her a few bangles and some flats to go with it. Mercedes was going nuts because of the 60% off sale on all the gold jewelry in the store. Quinn went into the dressing room and slipped on the two. It was too big on her frame. The zero fit perfectly.

Quinn stepped out of the dressing room to show off the dress to her friends. They gasped, but not for a good reason. The dress looked great on Quinn, but it also showed how bony she had gotten. Her shoulder blades were slightly sticking out, and her arms looked like twigs. Mercedes remembered what Quinn had told her last year about how she use to hate herself for eating a cookie. Mercedes wondered if Quinn had fallen back into her old ways. Kurt was just plain worried; he knew the blond had wanted to lose the baby weight, but now she looked unhealthy.

But, instead of asking questions that wouldn't be answered, the two

Friends just ohhed and awed about how great she looked in that dress. Quinn bought it along with the shoes and accessories while Mercedes had practically bought all the gold jewelry in the store. It was her fashion staple, after all. No one could ever recall seeing Mercedes wearing sliver. It was unheard of.

The ride home was pleasant. The threesome talked mostly about glee and the songs they wanted sing this year. Kurt wanted to do a number from Hairspray, while Mercedes wanted belt out Aretha Franklin. Quinn wanted to do Not Like the Movies by Katy Perry, but she didn't mind if that didn't happen. She was just happy there was still glee club. If she had glee club and friends by her side, Quinn was perfectly happy with her life. Her friends didn't know how fragile she really was. Quinn could break at any second and was leaning on them for support.


	3. Let It Be

The Fabray Home, 2:30 PM

Tiffany's cab pulled up to the driveway of her childhood home. If you just saw the outside, you might think it was a palace. She remembered days where Quinn and her would pretend to be princesses of their perfect kingdom. Looking at it after two years, Tiffany just saw it as a prison, a place that demanded perfection and wanted to break her spirit. She wondered how Quinn saw this house.

She nervously stepped up to the door and rang the doorbell. Tiffany knew she hadn't changed much. With her short-sleeved, patchwork peasant dress, scuffed up cowboy boots, long gold chain with her golden cross layered on top, and her long, luscious blond hair, Tiffany knew she looked like the same boho chick who had ran off to San Francisco. A maid answered.

"Can I help you, miss?" the women asked cordially. Tiffany flipped on the Cheerio mode and smiled.

"I'd like to see Mrs. Fabray please. Is she home?" she inquired politely. Tiffany had learned to always be polite by watching her parents in front of company. Sure, it was a mask they used to hide their dysfunctional marriage, but people seemed to like it.

"Yes, come in," the maid answered with a smile. "I'll go get her." She briskly walked up the steps. Tiffany looked around the house; nothing had really changed. She noticed pictures of Quinn in her Cheerios uniform, a fake smile plastered on her face. Tiffany knew when her little sister was hiding something. It was some kind of setting in her brain. Besides, Quinn's real smile could light up the world, and that wasn't what Tiffany was seeing in these pictures. All she saw was a nervous girl, one who looked uneasy in her disguise.

"Tiffany!" her mother shouted happily. She turned around to see her mom running down the stairs. Tiffany had to admit her mom looked as nice as ever; Mrs. Fabray was always put together no matter what. Today, she had a matching pink skirt and sweater set on with pearls and her hair in a neat bun.

"Mom," Tiffany replied mundanely. Truthfully, she wasn't excited to see her mom. She was still angry with her for not supporting her dreams. Tiffany hadn't wanted to run away; it had been her last option. She wasn't about to live a life she didn't love.

"Oh, look at you. My baby is all grown up." Mrs. Fabray said sadly, her lip quivering. Tiffany sighed and pulled her mom in for a tight hug. She knew she shouldn't be so hard on her mom. Her dad was the one who had cheated, after all. Tiffany knew her mom was a pushover only because that was what she had been taught to be. It was her default setting. Mrs. Fabray started to cry, and her oldest daughter patted her back.

"It's all going to be okay, Mom. I'm home." Tiffany said reassuringly. She wasn't sure for how long, but she would do whatever it took to fix her family.

"I know, I know. I'm just glad you're back. Your sister is going to be so happy to see you." Mrs. Fabray replied while regaining her composure. Tears were still running down her face, but they were no longer steady.

Tiffany wasn't sure how true that would be. She expected Quinn to be incredibly pissed and upset. She had only left her little sister a Post-It note with a lame apology and where she was heading. Tiffany figured Quinn had thrown the note out as soon as she found it.

"Where is Quinn?" she asked, smoothly changing the topic. Tiffany figured she would've come running out of her room to see who was here the minute the doorbell rang.

"She went shopping with Mercedes and Kurt. They said something about heading to the salon afterwards." Mrs. Fabray replied causally. She surprisingly liked her younger daughter's new friends. Mercedes was a sweet girl, and Kurt was a riot. Mrs. Fabray just loved having a conversation with him.

"Who?" Tiffany asked in confusion. She clearly had some catch up to do.

"They're Quinn's new friends from glee club," Mrs. Fabray answered nonchalantly.

Tiffany nodded and continued the conversation with her mom. They talked about Tiffany's life in San Francisco and her club. Mrs. Fabray mentioned the new charity function she was working on.

She noticed the time and got up. "I better get going. My hotel room should be ready by now."

"You should just stay with us," Mrs. Fabray insisted. She was afraid that her free-spirited daughter would just run off again. She couldn't lose another member of her family.

"I will as soon as Quinn knows I'm back," Tiffany reassured her mom.

"Do you want me to tell her?" Mrs. Fabray asked gently. Tiffany shook her head no; it was something she had to do herself.

"No. I'm co-coach of New Directions now. She'll know soon enough." she replied stubbornly. Tiffany was scared to confront her sister; there was so much baggage between the sisters. She didn't know how to say sorry.

"Okay then. See you tomorrow for dinner." Mrs. Fabray responded. Tiffany gave her mom a hug and left.

She went back to her hotel and unpacked her things. Tiffany wondered what the glee club members were like. So, she Googled them. Tiffany didn't find anything other than a picture of them winning Sectionals. She saw her sister's smiling face, the real smile. Tiffany also noticed Santana and Brittany doing their thing. She hoped the three were still close. Tiffany was startled to see a kid in a wheelchair and immediately started to think of ways to involve him.

Tiffany was excited yet anxious. She wasn't sure what Quinn's reaction to her being back in town would be. She hoped her little sister wouldn't push her away; Tiffany knew that was what Quinn was good at that. After all, it was all the two girls had ever been taught.

She got up and went back on her laptop. She looked up songs she wanted to sing for glee club. Tiffany couldn't find a good one, but she did find one to sing for herself. She got out her guitar that she'd learned to play not too long ago and began to sing. The Fabray sisters had practically the same voices, but Tiffany's was more powerful while Quinn's was a little sweeter.

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

And in my hour of darkness

She is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

The song Let It Be had always comforted Tiffany; she had been told it was a religious song when she was little. Growing up and moving to San Francisco, Tiffany had learned the song was about a dream Paul McCartney had where his dead mom, whose name was Mary, had appeared to him and spoke words of wisdom. Even after learning the real meaning behind the song, it still held a place in her heart. Tiffany wished for someone to whisper words of wisdom to her. She could certainly use them.


	4. Girls Just Want to Have Fun

McKinley Choir Room, 2:45 PM

Puck sat near Finn and Rachel and stared at Quinn from across the room. He noticed how fragile she looked, almost like a twig. It was so weird to see her so small after all the time he'd spent seeing her with a baby bump. He saw that the glint in her eye was gone. Puck wondered if it would ever come back. He turned back and saw that Rachel was still blabbing on about something.

"And I heard one of the office secretaries say that we have a new co-coach," Rachel was saying excitedly. This got Puck's attention.

"Who?" he asked curiously. They had all thought Mr. Schuester was the only person crazy enough to believe in them.

"I don't know. She didn't know her name. The woman use to be a student here." Rachel responded cheerfully.

Quinn was secretly listening to Rachel's conversation with Puck and Finn. She was sitting next to Mercedes and Kurt, who were arguing over whether Rihanna looked better with long or short hair. Mercedes like the pixie cut while Kurt preferred the long locks. Quinn agreed with Kurt but said nothing. She was trying to figure out who the new coach was.

The first day of school had been as normal as it could be. The glee club wasn't slushied, but they knew it was coming tomorrow. Quinn had worn her new outfit and many guys had checked her out during the day. She smiled to herself, knowing she was making her way back on top. Brittany and Santana had both exchanged worried glances at her, but they said nothing. All her friends noticed a huge change, and it worried them. They didn't know about Quinn's past, but they knew their friend was in a bad spot.

Mr. Schuester walked in, a smile on his face. He looked every bit the cool teacher he was. "Hey guys! I hope you had a great summer!" he said cheerfully.

"Who's the new coach?" Rachel asked anxiously. Finn grabbed her shaking hands to calm her down.

Mr. Schuester rolled his eyes at the diva's excitement. "Thank you for making that announcement. As Rachel just announced, we have a new coach helping me out. She'll be dealing with costumes and choreography. I'd like to introduce Tiffany Fabray." A tall, blond woman walked in. She was in a white tank top, jeans, and tan, scuffed up cowboy boots. Quinn instantly recognized them. Her sister was back.

Everyone's eyes were on this new coach. She looked just like an older, bohemian version of Quinn. They all looked over at Quinn, who seemed in a state of shock. Most them didn't even know Quinn had a sister.

Tiffany stepped up and smiled. "Hi. As Mr. Schue said, I'm Tiffany Fabray. I graduated from this place two years ago. I always wanted to be in glee club, but I didn't have the opportunity. I was a Cheerio all four years I went here." she rambled on. She didn't have much to say.

"Can you sing?" Finn asked her curiously. He didn't think their club would have much use for a coach that couldn't sing.

"Watch and find out," Tiffany replied playfully. She turned to Brad and added, "You know what to do." He nodded and started to play. Tiffany took a deep breath and started to sing:

I come home in the morning light

My mother says when you gonna live your life right

Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones

And girls just want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have fun

The phone rings in the middle of the night

My father yells what you gonna do with your life

Oh daddy dear you know you're still number one

But girls they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have-

That's all they really want

Some fun

When the working day is done

Girls- they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have fun

Some boys take a beautiful girl

And hide her away from the rest of the world

I want to be the one to walk in the sun

Oh girls they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have

That's all they really want

Some fun

When the working day is done

Girls- they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have fun,

They want to have fun,

They want to have fun…

Tiffany finished her song with a smile and looked over at her sister. Quinn looked speechless, and she couldn't decide whether that was a good or bad thing. The rest of the club started to clap, clearly impressed. Not only could their new coach dance, but she could also sing.

Quinn didn't know what to feel. She hadn't seen her sister in two years and was little excited. Then she remembered that Tiffany hadn't been there for her the last two years, and she got angry. Quinn's sister was her rock, the one who was supposed to guide her. Tiffany clearly hadn't done that. Quinn grabbed her bag and walked towards the door.

"Quinn!" Mr. Schuester shouted worriedly. He hadn't known what effect Tiffany's arrival would have on her sister.

"Quinn!" Tiffany also shouted. She ran after her little sister. The rest of the glee club shot each other worried looks. They all went to stand by the door to watch the confrontation.

Quinn turned around to face her sister. "What are you doing here?" she asked angrily. Quinn had been managing without her sister around, or at least that's what she'd been telling herself. She knew it wasn't true; she needed Tiffany, but Quinn was still hurt. Tiffany had abandoned her just like her dad had. It still stung. Tiffany said nothing, so Quinn continued. "Did you get sick of your wonderful life in San Francisco? The one you didn't feel the need to include me in?"

Tiffany listen to her sister's harsh words. It was clear Quinn was upset. She knew she deserved it. "I came back because Mom sent me a letter. I wanted to make sure you were okay." Tiffany replied shakily.

"Well, you can back up your stuff and leave. Because I'm fine. Everything's great!" Quinn shouted. Tiffany rolled her eyes at her little sister.

"You're an awful liar, Quinn. Everything isn't fine! That mask doesn't work one me!" Tiffany yelled back with equal fire.

"I don't need this," Quinn replied. She ran towards the exit, tears starting to fall down her face. Tiffany just stood against the wall and cried. She left after a few minutes.

The rest of the glee club took all of this in. Mercedes, Kurt, and Rachel were all extremely worried. Quinn snapped, something rare for their friend. Puck was startled by Quinn's breakdown; he'd never seen that side of her. Santana and Brittany were probably the most worried of all. They had known Quinn growing up and knew how close she was with Tiffany. Her leaving had really left a mark on Quinn.

"Where would Quinn have gone?" Finn asked worriedly. He had been her boyfriend for a while and now was her friend.

"Charlie's," Santana and Brittany automatically replied. Everyone else gave them a quizzical look.

"What's Charlie's?" Puck asked suspiciously. It sounded like the name of a bar, and he didn't want Quinn to get into trouble.

"Charlie is a person," Santana explained. "When we were little, Tiffany use to take us to this guy's house. His name was Charlie and he was like sixty years old. He was a teacher and would teach us all kinds of stuff; we became a class of four and got bracelets to commemorate it. CHARLIE was the best person to go to when you were upset because he'd let you smash his stuff with a baseball bat. Nothing was off limits. He said that stuff was replaceable, and that our feelings were more important."

"He gave me a lizard," Brittany added wistfully. "It ran off with a hawk." Everyone just gave her a weird glance.

"How do we get a hold of this guy?" Mercedes asked a little skeptically.

"You can't. He doesn't believe in phones." Santana replied, her eyes betraying her amusement.

"And he'll only talk to us," Brittany added smugly. She loved going to see Charlie and was glad for any chance to go see him. "We'll go make sure Quinn's okay."

Mr. Schuester nodded and the two Cheerios left. The rest of glee club rehearsal was spent gossiping about Quinn and her sister. The Fabrays had never seemed more mysterious. Finn vaguely remembered Mr. Fabray saying that his older daughter was married to a nice Christian man with a successful business and she ran several charities. He told this to the rest of the club, which only confused them more. What was Quinn hiding?


	5. The Sound of Silence

Charlie's House, 3:00 PM

Quinn had headed straight to Charlie's, just like Santana and Brittany had predicted. She knew they would find here there, but she didn't care. Charlie was like the old, wise grandfather Quinn had never had, and she needed to talk to him. She hadn't talked to him since the beginning of summer. Charlie had been celebrating gravity by dropping food off the roof, and Quinn had joined him. It had been fun, especially when the food landed on Charlie's neighbors. The old man definitely didn't give a damn about any kind of rules. It was something Quinn envied about him.

"Hey, Gecko," Charlie greeted her as she came in through the back gate. When she, Brittany, and Santana were little, they'd been fascinated with reptiles, so Charlie had given them reptile nicknames. Hers was Gecko, Santana was Cobra, and Brittany was Viper. Quinn had never understood why she was Gecko, but it really didn't matter. Even as they got older, Charlie never called them anything but those nicknames. Tiffany had been Python, but Quinn pushed the though of her sister out of her head.

"Hey, Charlie. What are you doing?" she asked worriedly, eyeing his latest project. Quinn saw a sledgehammer and some duct tape.

"Getting rid of some old stuff. What to help?" Charlie responded casually. Quinn hesitated for a moment; she knew that the stuff probably wasn't his and that she'd get in trouble. But, Quinn didn't really care. She grabbed a sledgehammer and started pounding away at the junk of the table. Charlie watched her carefully.

Charlie might've been considered a weird old dude, but he was actually very caring. He constantly worried about the three girls he practically considered his children. He tried to keep Santana grounded and reassure Brittany that she was perfect the way she was. Quinn was probably the one he was most concerned about. The girl had so many walls up to protect herself, especially for such a young age. Charlie knew Tiffany's leaving had a big affect on her, as did her pregnancy and the kick-out. He noticed her bony arms, and his red flags went up.

Once Quinn had smashed the crud out of everything on the table, Charlie took her sledgehammer away. "Okay, now you talk. What's going on?" he asked her gently.

"Tiffany came back," Quinn said, her voice cracking a bit. She just wanted everything in her world to stay the same, but nothing would.

Charlie nodded sympathetically, not having any of the right words. He knew that was a rough spot for Quinn and wanted to help her deal. "Follow me," he commanded while walking into the house. Quinn nodded, carefully watching her step through the house that should've be condemned years ago. Fortunately for Charlie, everyone was too afraid of him to complain about the state of his property. He kept saying he was going to tear the house down and build a new one, but that had yet to happen.

They walked through Charlie's cluttered house before approaching a a door. He gently pushed it open, and Quinn stepped into the room. There were probably thousands of vintage records, cassettes, and CDs crammed into the tiny room. She saw everything from the Sex Pistols to The Runaways to Led Zeppelin stacked on shelves. Quinn knew these would go for a fortune if Charlie was ever going to sell them; he would never do that, though. He loved the music too much.

Charlie dug through several stacks before finding what he was looking for. He handed her a record; Quinn studied the cover only to discover he had handed her Simon and Garfunkel's Concert In Central Park album. She raised a quizzical eyebrow at her mentor. "You need a lesson on communication from the masters. They know their stuff." Charlie responded calmly, almost Zen-like. She only nodded her head before he walked out of the room. Quinn knew Charlie had only left the room because he had heard a car heading his way. His favorite hobby was throwing rotten food at any stranger who drove by. Needless to say, he wasn't on good speaking terms with any of his neighbors. She also suspected Charlie was checking to see if Brittany and Santana had arrived yet. Quinn knew they would come after her; she would've never gone to Charlie's if she hadn't wanted to be found.

Quinn put the record on the machine and gently put the needle on it, just the way Tiffany had taught her. Why does everything always have to lead back to her, Quinn thought remorsefully to herself. Suddenly, a beautiful melody filled her ears.

Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again

Because a vision softly creeping, left its seeds while I was thinking

And the vision that was planted in my brains, still remains

Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone, narrow streets of cobblestone

Neath the halo of a streetlamp, I turned my collar to the cold and damp

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light, split the night

And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw, ten thousand people, maybe more

People talking without speaking, people hearing without listening

People writing songs that voices never shared, and no one dared

To stir the sound of silence

Fool, said I, you do not know, silence, like a skin cancer, grows

Hear my words and I might teach you, take my arms and I might reach you

But my words, like silent raindrops fell, and echoed in the wells of silence

And people bowed and prayed to the neon god they'd made

And the sign flashed its warning in the words that it was forming

And the sign said the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls And tenement halls, and whispered in the sounds of silence

Santana and Brittany pulled into the driveway of Charlie's run-down house. Brittany was bouncing up and down in her seat, which was starting to irritate Santana. Brittany was always excited to go see Charlie; he was the only adult who had ever understood her growing up. Her parents thought she was stupid, and all her teachers agreed. Charlie just said that she had an unique outlook on life.

Santana looked out the window to see Charlie waiting for them on the front porch. She smiled at the sight of two sledgehammers in his hands. Charlie firmly believed that negative energy was best disposed by smashing the crap out of stuff.

The two cheerleaders got out of Santana's car and approached their mentor. "Hey Cobra, Viper," he greeted them casually, almost lacking emotion. Inside though, he was jumping up and down for joy. Charlie loved when all his girls came to see him; they were the only reason he stayed in the area.

"Hey, Charlie," they simultaneously replied. This made Charlie smirk. The two girls were practically like twins: finishing each other's sentences and sometimes each other's thoughts.

"Where's Quinn?" Santana asked worriedly, looking around the destruction area. She didn't see her friend anywhere.

"Gecko's inside, absorbing the words of the masters," Charlie replied slyly. He wanted to see how well these girls had been listening to him.

"Simon and Garfunkel," Brittany responded before Santana could even guess. Everyone thought that girl was stupid, but she had a great memory.

"Point for Viper," Charlie replied with a laugh, giving Brittany a high-five. Santana just glared at the ditzy blond. "Oh, come on Cobra. You're awesome, too."

"Yeah, Cobra," another voice teased. They all turned around to see Quinn standing in the doorway, her eyes read from crying.

"Are you okay?" Santana asked Quinn worriedly. It was a stupid question that she already knew the answer. Santana knew Quinn wasn't okay; she could tell just by looking at her. Quinn has slipped back into her old ways.

Quinn nodded. "I'm fine," she mumbled. When Brittany raised an eyebrow, she added, "I have to go. Bye Charlie." Quinn got into her car and drove, not stopping until she found an empty parking lot. She just sat in her car and cried. Quinn was ashamed of who she had become. She wanted to take care of herself and let the people she loved in, but she didn't know how. Quinn was simply switching back into her default settings. She didn't know how to save herself; someone else would have to step up and help her.


	6. It's Only Love

The Fabray Home, 5:00 PM

Tiffany pulled her rental Toyota into the driveway of the house that was, at least temporarily, her home again. She saw Quinn's SUV in the driveway, which meant Quinn had probably went to Charlie's after running out of glee rehearsal. There was no way she would've gone home without his advice. Everyone else had bombarded her with questions, so she had made a mad dash. Mr. Schue had her stay a little late for a meeting with Figgins, who had to sign off of Tiffany being co-coach of the glee club. After that, Tiffany had drove around Lima to see if anything had changed. Nothing had. It was still the same dingy cow-town she remembered. Of all the places to live, Tiffany couldn't understand why anyone would chose Lima.

"Hello?" Tiffany called out into the empty hallway. No one answered her. She saw that most of the lights were off except the ones in the bathroom and Quinn's room. "Quinn?"

Quinn was in the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Other people saw skin and bones while all she saw was fat. Fat on her arms, fat on her legs, fat on her thighs. It was everywhere. Quinn wished she had a magic eraser to make it all go away. She knew that she would never be a cheerleader being this fat. Ms. Sylvester would never let her back on the squad, and she'd never get her cover back. Because if Quinn wasn't a Cheerio, than she wouldn't have a cover anymore. She would be vulnerable, and people would be able to see the cracks on her surface. Quinn heard Tiffany calling her.

"Hold on a sec!" Quinn shouted back frantically. She couldn't let her sister see her so weak. Tiffany wasn't like everyone else. Besides Puck, she was the only person who wasn't afraid to call Quinn out on her bullshit. Tiffany had no reservations on getting in her face about getting help. She'd been doing it for years, after all.

Quinn slipped the outfit she had been wearing back on. She smoothed out her blond hair and wiped the tears off her face. The Fabrays are not weak, she mentally reminded herself. It was something she had always hated and loved about her family. Quinn loved it because it allowed her to hid behind this bitchy persona she had created for herself. It kept her detached from everyone else. At the same time, Quinn hated it. She could never show any kind of weakness; crying was completely out of the question. No one could see her real self; her image would be ruined.

Quinn came out to see her older sister wearing a worried expression. Probably because their mom wasn't around. "Mom went to the country club with a friend," Quinn explained to her older sister.

Tiffany snorted. "Didn't know Mom was that brave." This made Quinn laugh. The two sisters knew the gossip hounds at the country club would be all over their mom tonight. The Fabrays' divorce was the top gossip of the town right now. Everyone was taking Mrs. Fabray's side and warmly welcoming back Quinn, complementing her on how good she looked and how she did the right thing by not having an abortion. "So, what should we have for dinner?"

Quinn shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me." And it didn't, since she wouldn't be eating it, no matter how good it smelled. Quinn was limiting herself to two and a half rice cakes and an apple a day. Nothing more, nothing less.

Tiffany smiled deviously. Quinn recognized that smile. It was the smile her sister had when she was planning something. "Well then, I think I know what we should do for dinner." Tiffany paused for dramatic effect. Quinn motioned for her to continue. "Order pizza and eat it off of paper plates on the rug in the living room!"

Quinn let out a huge laugh. "We always did want to do that," she remembered. For some reason, the Fabrays always had a stack of paper plates in their pantry. No one ever used them, preferring the fine china. Both the girls found the china bothersome. You had to eat very tidily off them.

"Then let's do it," Tiffany challenged. She wanted to see if her sister had any guts left.

"Mom will kill us," Quinn pointed out reasonably. This routine was comfortable and familiar, something that she had always enjoyed. Tiffany was always coming up with crazy ideas and Quinn always had to reason with her. It was usually a failed effort. Still, it made her realize how much she had missed her older sister. Quinn's anger was slowly starting to fade away.

"Mom will never know," Tiffany replied in a sing-song voice. Her little sister still looked skeptical. "Come on, Quinn. Live a little!" she begged.

Quinn sighed before replying. "Fine. I'll go pick up the pizza." Tiffany looked at her strangely. "The pizza guy can't tell his rights from lefts," she explained. Tiffany nodded. "Be back in a bit!"

Tiffany watched her leave. Quinn was all skin and bones, just like before. In fact, she looked a little worse this time. She hoped her little sister would actually eat some of the pizza. Tiffany didn't care if she had to fight Quinn nail and tooth. She was going to help her sister this time, whether her help was wanted or not.

Tiffany decided to make a salad, something Quinn might actually consider eating. She wasn't stupid enough to think she could cure Quinn overnight; it would be a long process. But, Tiffany was ready for it. She was ready to help her sister. She went over to the fridge and got all of the things Quinn liked in a salad. Tiffany turned on the radio on to hear her parents' song, It's Only Love. They had been huge Beatles fans, and the sisters grew up knowing all the Beatles' songs. Tiffany sang along to it.

I get high when I see you go by

My oh my

When you sigh, my, my inside just flies,

Butterflies

Why am I so shy when I'm beside you?

It's only love and that is all,

But it's so hard loving you.

Is it right that you and I should fight

Ev'ry night?

Just the sight of you makes nighttime bright,

Very bright.

Haven't I the right to make it up, girl?

It's only love and that is all,

Why should I feel the way I do?

It's only love and that is all,

But it's so hard loving you.

Yes, it's so hard loving you- loving you

Tiffany didn't think the song suited her parents at all. In her mind, it was about a couple that loved each other so much it hurt. Her parents clearly didn't love each other a fraction of that. If they had, her father wouldn't have cheated. Cheaters don't love their significant others; they just use them for image.

Tiffany didn't believe in true love; she believed in practical love. The kind of love she had her for her sister and mother, for example. Even though Mrs. Fabray had messed up, Tiffany still loved her. Family was family; you'd love them no matter what.


	7. I Want You To Want Me

Little Caesars Pizza, 5:30

Puck looked around the empty room. There were no customers, so he was sitting on the counter, leaning against the wall. Finn was in the back, doing dishes. The two had found the jobs in August, once Puck's pool-cleaning business dried up. It was crappy pay, but the manager was never around and the friends got to reconnect over making pizzas. Things had been rocky between the friends after the whole Quinn thing, but they'd managed to patch it up.

"Hey, Puck, why am I the only one who's doing the dishes?" Finn called over to him in frustration. It didn't seem fair to him.

Puck rolled his eyes. "Because I can tell my lefts from rights," he answered with a smirk. Finn only scowled in return. It wasn't his fault that he'd gotten lost on a delivery, and everyone got their pizzas for free. But, the manager didn't see it that way. Finn was permanently exiled for deliveries.

They heard a familiar voice from behind them. "And he's a jerk." Puck turned around to see Quinn standing there, her eyebrow arched in a questioning way.

"You know you love me," Puck replied with a smirk. This only made her roll her eyes. He noticed how frail her arms looked crossed over her chest. Finn also noticed this; the two guys exchanged a worried glance. The whole glee club was worried about Quinn; she didn't looked healthy or happy.

"In your dreams, Puck," Quinn replied coolly. She didn't want to give him any incentive to start a conversation; there was a reason she had avoided talking to him. Puck would know she was hiding something, and her walls would fall down. She turned to Finn, who was waiting for her order. "Give me a medium pineapple and ham."

This made Puck cringe. "What weirdo likes ham and pineapple on a pizza?"

"My sister," Quinn replied nonchalantly. She had never understood it either. Pineapple simply doesn't belong on pizza. Tiffany refused to listen.

"Then what are you going to eat?" Puck asked worriedly. The girl needed the empty calories. She looked like an starving African child.

"A salad," Quinn replied with a shrug. He gave her a look, which she ignored. Suddenly, the radio that had been on in the background starting to play I Want You to Want covered by Letters to Cleo. Quinn lit up right in front of Puck's eyes. This had been one of her favorites songs growing up. "Turn it up!" Quinn shouted to Finn. He went over to the radio and did just that. Both Puck and he were curious to see what Quinn's was going to do. This didn't seem like the type of song she would even like.

Quinn, to the boys' shock, started to dance and sing along to the song. She knew all the lyrics by heart. Puck was amazed by the way she was dancing. Her hips were swaying in a way he'd never seen before. There was a genuine smile on Quinn's face, one he had never seen before. It really did light up the whole world. Both the guys were surprised that Quinn could even dance like that. They'd always thought that she would be one of those up-tight dancers. Finn made a mental note to tell Rachel that Quinn should do the choreographing from now on. She waved for them to come join them. The song was on the chorus.

I want you to want me

I need you to need me

I'd love you to love me

I'm beggin' you to beg me

I'll shine up my old brown shoes

Put on a brand new shirt

Get home early from work

If you say that you love me

Didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'

Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'

Feeling all alone without a friend you know you feel like dying

Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'

I want you to want me

I need you to need me

I'd love you to love me

I'm beggin' you to beg me

I want you to want me, I want you to want me

I want you to want me, I want you to want me

After the song was over, Quinn's pizza was ready. She left with a quick goodbye. Puck smirked. The girl he thought he knew so well was now a mystery to him. The only question on his mind was this: Who was Quinn Fabray? At this point, Puck had no clue, but he was dying to find out. He thrived on challenges, anyhow.

The Fabray Home, 6:00 PM

Tiffany stared at her sister's paper plate in amazement. In all their catching up and laughing, Quinn had managed to eat some salad and five bites of her pizza. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Not to mention how much she hated ham and pineapple pizza. Tiffany didn't get it; those were the most delicious toppings for pizza ever discovered, in her opinion. Everyone else she knew begged to differ. Tiffany thought about their mom; Mrs. Fabray would go ballistic if she saw what they were doing right now. Eating pizza off of paper plates on the living room floor was a big no-no in the Fabray house. It was one of the many reasons Tiffany detested houses like the one she grew up in.

Houses like theirs were only for looks. Growing up in one of them was like living in a museum, everything being display only. Tiffany vividly remembered being yelled at for sitting on the couch. Isn't that what is was there for? Apparently not. She preferred houses that looked like someone actually lived there, and that was the way she kept her apartment in San Diego.

The two sisters were playing their favorite road trip game. The rules were simple: you asked a question, and the other person answered, but their answer had to end with a question. The girls could spend hours on this game. You got three mistakes and then you lost. It was Quinn's turn.

She decided to be a little harsh on her sister, just to get rid of the last bits of anger. Quinn wasn't that angry anymore, just hurt. "Why did you leave and never contact me again?"

Tiffany sighed. She had expected this question to come eventually and had thought out an answer. "Well, I left because I didn't want Mom and Dad controlling my life. I wanted to be free to make my own decisions, you know? I had a friend in San Diego, and she offered to help get me a job out there. So, one day, I just packed up my stuff and left." Tiffany paused for a second. "And it wasn't anything planned. It was a spur of the moment thing. You know how I get sometimes." Quinn nodded, her sister's answer making sense in her head. "And I didn't contact you because I thought you were never going to forgive me. I felt like I had disappointed you." Tiffany was surprised when Quinn leaned over and gave her sister a reassuring hug. "So, when did you start skipping meals again?"

Quinn froze up. She had hopped Tiffany would catch on, but her sister was always the first to spot something wrong in her. "What are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine." she lied.

Tiffany snorted. "You're a horrible liar, Quinn," she told her little sister bluntly. "You can tell me. You know I don't judge," Tiffany added softly. Quinn felt tears flow down her cheeks. Tiffany put her arm around her sister, rubbing her back.

"I didn't mean to, Tif," Quinn cried into her sister's shoulder. "I thought I was better. But, then I wanted to lose the baby weight, so I started skipping a few meals." Quinn took a deep breath and exhaled. "But it's worth it. I'm skinny again. Ms. Schuester will let me back on the Cheerios now. I'll get all back." Quinn confessed.

"Get what back?" Tiffany asked her gently. Quinn wiped her tears and knew that her sister would see through any lie she told.

"My cover. No one wants to know the real Quinn Fabray. They want to know the one that's captain of the Cheerios and the head bitch of WMHS." Quinn explained.

"I don't think that's true. The kids in glee club seem to like you exactly the way you are." Quinn smiled at this. She was starting to realize the same thing. Her teammates didn't care if she was a Cheerio or not. They cared about her either way. Tiffany continued. "Look, I know things haven't been easy for you lately, but I promise they'll get better. We'll make it through it." This made Quinn feel five years old again.

"How do you know that?" she asked her sister in desperation. Tiffany only smiled and hugged her sister.

"Because we're the Fabray sisters. We can make it through anything." Tiffany replied with conviction. "And don't you ever forget that," she added. The two sisters spent the remainder of the time before their mom got home watching movies and telling funny stories. Quinn told her sister funny stories about each glee club member to the point that she actually felt like she knew them personally. Tiffany added stories about her crazy life in San Diego and promised Quinn that she could come visit her anytime she wanted. Everything wasn't perfect between the two sisters, but it was getting close. Miracles don't happen overnight.


	8. Mean

McKinley Choir Room, 2:45 PM

It had been a rather uneventful day at McKinley High School for most of the students. The only exception was if you were in the glee club. If you were in the glee club, you were trying to put together the past of Ms. Quinn Fabray. The glee clubbers now knew that Quinn had a free-spirited older sister that had ran off to San Diego for reasons they did not yet know and she barely touched food anymore. Finn and Puck had seen a little more of Quinn than anyone else. They'd seen the real her that night, dancing in the middle of a Little Caesars like she had no problems at all. Puck found himself even more mystified yet attracted to Quinn now. If there was anything he loved, it was a challenge. And Quinn Fabray never had a problem challenging him.

Sitting in the choir room, Rachel looked around at her fellow glee club members. If she were going to be honest, Rachel would have to admit a lot of them had improved over the summer. Especially Quinn. She had always known Quinn had a great talent, but the scandal that followed the former Cheerio's entrance into the glee club blocked it out. Rachel suddenly had a great idea. She walked up to Mr. Schuester, who was deep in discussion with Tiffany.

"And I think you should ease up on the Journey melodies," Tiffany was telling him with a smirk. Rachel couldn't help but smile at this. The whole club was sick of Journey. "You can only do something so many times." She turned to Rachel. "Talk away."

Rachel walked over to Mr. Schuester and smiled brightly in a typical Rachel Berry manner. "Mr. Schuester, I have a great idea for the assignment this week." He waited for her to continue. "I think many of the people in this club have a lot of unexpressed emotions. For the assignment this week, we should each do a solo on something we feel or an experience we've had."

Mr. Schuester looked at his star in shock. Initially, he'd intended to block Rachel's idea out of his head, but this one was actually good. He cleared his throat to get the club's attention. Everyone turned towards him. "Okay, guys, this week's assignment was Rachel's idea." Everyone groaned. "Don't worry, it's not that bad. This week, you'll each come up with a solo to perform in front of all of us. Your song should reflect an emotion you feel or an experience you've had."

Everyone nodded their heads, content with the assignment. Rachel raised her hand. "Yes, Rachel?"

"Mr. Schuester, can I perform mine now?" she asked politely. Everyone looked at her in disbelief. Puck couldn't stop himself for smirking. Quinn simply rolled her eyes at the club's diva.

"Rachel, I just gave out the assignment," Mr. Schuester responded. Rachel nodded.

"I know. I've been working on it for a while." This made Tiffany smiled. This girl was so prepared, it was scary.

Mr. Schuester only nodded and stepped aside for Rachel. She turned to Brad. "You know what to do." Rachel began to sing. All the girls in the room smiled when they heard the beginning of the song.

You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me

You have knocked me off my feet again, got me feeling like I'm nothing

You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard, calling me out when I'm wounded

You, pickin' on the weaker man

Well, you can take me down with just one single blow

But you don't know what you don't know

Someday I'll be living in a big old city

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides and your walk-by lies and your humiliation

You have pointed out my flaws again as if I don't already see them

I'll walk with my head down trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you

I just wanna feel okay again

I'll bet you got pushed around, somebody made you cold

But the cycle ends right now 'cause you can't lead me down that road

And you don't know what you don't know

Someday I'll be living in a big old city

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

And I can see you years from now in a bar, talking over a football game

With that same big loud opinion but nobody's listening

Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things

Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing

But all you are is mean

All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic and alone in life

And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean

But someday I'll be living in a big old city

And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah

Someday, I'll big enough that you can't hit me

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

Someday, I'll be living in a big old city

(Why you gotta be so mean?)

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

(Why you gotta be so mean?)

Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

(Why you gotta be so mean?)

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

The applause was loud, especially for a song done by Rachel. Even Kurt clapped, which was saying something. Every glee club member felt like that song related to them. Their classmates were mean, just like the people Taylor Swift was singing about. Of course, Taylor Swift was famous now, while they're still nobodies.

Everyone left the room except Quinn. Tiffany left the room but stayed at the door to watch her sister.


	9. Breakaway

McKinley Choir Room, 3:45 PM

Quinn waited until everyone in glee club left. She sat down and started to play, singing a soft melody as she did. Tiffany recognized the song instantly; it was one of the songs the sister would play when the yelling from the other room got too loud. It gave them hope.

Grew up in a small town

And when the rain would fall down

I'd just stare out my window

Dreaming of what could be

And if I'd end up happy

I would pray

Trying hard to reach out

But when I'd try to speak out

Felt like no one could hear me

Wanted to belong here

But something felt so wrong here

So I pray

I could breakaway

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly

I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky

And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun

But I won't forgot all the ones that I loved

And I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway

Wanna feel the warm breeze

Sleep under a palm tree

Feel the rush of the ocean

Get onboard a fast train

Travel on a jet plane, far away

And breakaway

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly

I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky

And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun

I won't forget all the ones that I loved

I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway

Buildings with a hundred floors

Swinging 'round revolving doors

Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but

Gotta keep moving on, moving on

Fly away, breakaway

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly

Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye

I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun

But I won't forget the place I come from

I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway

Quinn had been so into what she was singing that she hadn't noticed her sister standing behind her. She turned around when she heard clapping. "That was great," Tiffany told her younger sister softly. "You've got a lot of talent."

Quinn rolled her eyes, trying to remain indifferent, but on the inside she was jumping up and down for joy. A compliment from Tiffany was a big deal to her. Quinn had idolized her older sister as a child and aspired to be just as good as Tiffany. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"Is that your number for the assignment?" Tiffany asked casually. She was curious to see what Quinn's number would be like. The biggest question on Tiffany's mind was how much her younger sister would reveal. There were so many different directions Quinn could go. Knowing how guarded she was, Tiffany assumed that Quinn would do Breakaway. It was vague enough that it kept her secrets but descriptive enough that it would fulfill the assignment requirements.

Quinn's answer shocked Tiffany. "No," she answered honestly, looking her sister straight in the eyes. "I mean, it's Kelly Clarkson, but it's not Breakaway."

"What Kelly Clarkson song?" Tiffany couldn't help but ask. There were so many options that she couldn't pinpoint just one Quinn could do.

"Not telling," Quinn replied in a sing-song voice. Her eyes sparkled mischievously, and Tiffany knew that she was enjoying this.

"Oh, come on!" Tiffany whined while shaking her head. Quinn couldn't muffle her laughter. Her older sister clearly hadn't grown up since she left. Tiffany still acted like a five year old, always acting on her impulses and not thinking about any consequences.

"Nope," Quinn responded with a smirk. She knew her sister was dying to know, which made her feel a little smug.

"Fine," Tiffany pouted. "You're mean." Quinn laughed again at her sister's expression.

"Let's go," Quinn replied, ignoring Tiffany's comment. The girl would probably jump to a new topic in less than two minutes. And not so surprisingly, she was right. Soon enough, Tiffany was babbling on about how much she hated the word fizzle.

"I mean, it has both an f and z in it! That's just not right." Tiffany rambled on. She didn't know how she'd gotten on this topic, but it was surely interesting.

"Yeah, but you need the word fizzle," Quinn tried to reason. She forgot how random her sister was. It was a nice break from everything else she had to talk about during the day.

"Why?" Tiffany inquired. "Why do we need that awful word?" She personally saw no use of it.

"Because it's the opposite of the word sizzle," Quinn answered rationally. She couldn't remember the last time she had used either words or why they were arguing about them.

"What about the word simmer?" Tiffany shot back. It was a good substitute for fizzle and was funnier to say. Plus, you could shout simmer in awkward situations to cut the tension if need. You certainly couldn't do that with the word fizzle.

"It doesn't rhyme with sizzle like fizzle does. So, if you're trying to rap, you can't use the word simmer. It wouldn't work." Quinn explained logically. Well, as logically as you can when arguing about the word fizzle.

"And you're planning to become a rapper when?" Tiffany asked with a raised eyebrow. Quinn shrugged, admitting defeat. "That's what I thought." In order to avoid continuing the argument, Quinn turned on the radio only to hear one of her favorite songs. Tiffany heard it and shouted, "Turn it up!" Quinn listened, and the sisters started to sing along, shaking their hair out and throwing their arms in the air.

Let me hear you say hey hey hey

Hey hey hey

Alright, let me hear you say hey hey ho

Hey hey ho

I hate it when a guy doesn't get the door

Even though I told him yesterday and the day before

I hate it when a guy doesn't get the tab

And I have to pull my money out and that looks bad

Where are the hopes, where are the dreams

My Cinderella story scene

When do you think they'll finally see?

That you're not not not gonna get any better

You won't won't won't, you won't get rid of me, never

Like it or not even though she's a lot like me

We're not the same

And yeah yeah yeah I'm a lot to handle

You don't know trouble, I'm a hell of a scandal

Me, I'm a scene, I'm a drama queen

I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen

Alright, alright

Yeah

I hate it when a guy doesn't understand

Why a certain time of month I don't want to hold his hand

I hate it when they go out and we stay in

And they come home smelling like their ex-girlfriend

I found my hopes, I found my dreams

My Cinderella story scene

Now everybody's gonna see

That you're not not not gonna get any better

You won't won't won't, you won't get rid of me, never

Like it or not even though she's a lot like me

We're not the same

And yeah yeah I'm a lot to handle

You don't know trouble, I'm a hell of a scandal

Me, I'm a scene, I'm a drama queen

I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen

Give me an A, always give me what I want

Give me a V, be very very good to me

R, are you gonna treat me right?

I, I can put up a fight

Give me an L, let me hear you scream loud

Let me hear you scream loud

One two three four

Where are the hopes, where are the dreams

My Cinderella story scene

When do you think they'll finally see?

That you're not not not gonna get any better

You won't won't won't, you won't get rid of me, never

Like it or not even though she's a lot like me

We're not the same

And yeah yeah yeah I'm a lot to handle

You don't know trouble, I'm a hell of a scandal

Me, I'm a scene, I'm a drama queen

I'm the best damn thing your eyes have ever seen

Let me hear you say hey hey hey

Hey hey hey

Alright, now let me hear you say hey hey ho

Hey hey ho

Hey hey hey, hey hey hey, hey hey hey,

I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen

The sister laughed as the final notes ended. Both were lost in their own thoughts as they pulled into the drive. Quinn's thoughts drifted to Puck. Why couldn't he realize she was the best damn thing?


	10. Because Of You

McKinley Choir Room, 2:45 PM

The rest of the week went by quickly. Everyone else had done number. Finn did an average rendition of I Don't Want to Be that only his bossy girlfriend enjoyed, Kurt put on an elaborate show of Stayin' Alive, Artie choose to do a sweet ballad in the form of Making A Memory, and Mike and Matt had teamed up to do some rap song she had never heard of before. Quinn's personal favorite was Puck's version of Beautiful Girl; she knew he did just for her. Puck knew it was one of her favorite songs. Meanwhile, the girls had some interesting numbers of their own. Mercedes gave a, in her own words, divalious performance of SOS, Tina provoked the hormones of all the glee club guys by doing Hot N Cold in a Katy Perry-esque costume, and Santana and Brittany joined forces to perform a sexy version of Goodbye.

Rachel wasn't the first person in the choir room that Frida. Quinn arrived twenty minutes early to make sure Brad knew her song and to practice. She wasn't really nervous. Fabrays didn't get nervous; it simply wasn't their way. Quinn was more anxious than anything else. She felt like she was singing her soul out, and she didn't know if anyone would bother to listen. Tiffany came into the room just as Quinn had finished practicing. "Are you ready?" she asked her younger sister curiously.

Once everyone was in the room, Mr. Schuester walked over to the piano to make an announcement. "Okay, everyone, quiet down." You could hear a pin drop as he continued talking. "We have one last number to see." Mr. Schuester looked to Quinn, who was sitting next to Mercedes, her hands shaking in her lap. "You're up," the beloved Spanish teacher told Quinn, a soft smile on his face. Of all his students, Mr. Schuester suspected that both Quinn and Rachel were going places. He suspected it was the reason for their initial hatred of each other.

Quinn got up and walked over to the front of the room, her dress swinging as she walked. Puck thought she looked particularly sexy in her spaghetti strapped, calf-length light blue dress and matching wedges. Her hair was pinned back just the way he liked it, and her makeup was simple. Quinn cleared her throat. "Okay, so this song is just a little piece of my life. I hope you enjoy it," she awkwardly introduced her number. Brad started to play, and Quinn started to sing.

I will not make

The same mistakes that you did

I will not let myself

'Cause my heart so much misery

I will not break

The way you did, you fell so hard

I've learned the hard way

To never let it get that far

Because of you

I never stray too far from the sidewalk

Because of you

I learned to play on the safe side

So I don't get hurt

Because of you

I find it hard to trust

Not only me, but everyone around me

Because of you, I am afraid

The whole glee club was stunned by the emotional intensity that Quinn had when she was singing. Even Rachel sat speechless in her seat. She had been singing and dancing before she could walk and talk, before she had never had the kind of fire that Quinn possessed up there. Sure, Rachel would be the first person to tell you what a talented and ambitious performer she was, but the diva knew Quinn had something she didn't. Santana and Brittany were grinning happily at each other. The girl up there singing was the friend they remembered growing up with. They hadn't recognized the girl of the last two years; she was a stranger to them.

I lose my way

And it's not too long before you point it out

I cannot cry

Because I know that's weakness in your eyes

I'm forced to fake

A smile, a laugh, every day of my life

My heart can't possibly break

When it wasn't even whole to start with

Because of you

I never stray too far from the sidewalk

Because of you

I learned how to play on the safe side

So I don't get hurt

Because of you

I find it hard to trust

Not only me, but everyone around me

Because of you, I am afraid

I watched you die, I heard you cry

Every night in your sleep

I was so young, you should have known

Better than to lean on me

You never thought of anyone else

You just saw your pain

And now I cry in the middle of the night

For the same damn thing

Because of you

I never stray too far from the sidewalk

Because of you

I learned how to play on the safe side

So I don't get hurt

Because of you

I tried my hardest just to forget everything

Because of you

I don't know how to let anyone else in

Because of you

I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty

Because of you, I am afraid

Because of you

Because of you

Quinn felt a tear roll down her cheek. Singing that song, while it had felt good, was also painful. She didn't like to reflect on her childhood or family; it left a bitter taste in her mouth. Quinn didn't want to remember her mom and dad arguing over the lipstick stains on his shirt or the slamming of the door when he left to go on a "business trip". Quinn didn't want to remember the sounds of her mom sobbing after he left that Tiffany tried to block out with soothing lullabies. Still, she felt proud that she had stuck it out while her older, stronger sister ran off to a different part of the country. A little voice in the back of her head was nagging her. Was your way of coping really better? Quinn guessed probably not.

Tiffany ran up and gave her sister a bear hug. She knew Quinn had just barred her soul and dropped all defenses. Tiffany would personally kick the ass of anyone who even thought about messing with her baby sister. Santana and Brittany jumped out of their seats to join the hug. Puck laughed at the irritated look on Quinn's face. "Get off me, you loonies!" she shouted jokingly. Everyone smile because it wasn't a bitchy demand like they were use to from Quinn.

Brittany looked at Quinn and asked, "Are we going to Charlie's?"

Quinn nodded. "Yeah, Brit, but you're going to have to let go of me first." Santana laughed while Brittany slowly pulled away from Quinn. Meanwhile, everyone else was involved in their own conversations about Quinn's number.

"That was fabulous!" Kurt proclaimed while Mercedes nodded in agreement. She was still trying to decipher what Quinn had meant by that song. Clearly, her friend's childhood wasn't as happy as they all thought. Mercedes knew Quinn's relationship with her parents had never been that great to begin with, but she had never thought it could've been that bad. She also knew she'd get very little information out of her; the girl hated talking about the past.

Rachel was having a quiet conversation with Mr. Schuester. No one could make out what they were saying. None of them would believe it if they were hearing it anyways. She was trying to convince Mr. Schuester to let Quinn do the ballad and succeeding.

When practice was over, the Fabray sisters ran to their car. Tiffany jumped into the driver's seat, and they rushed off to Charlie's. While driving, a though popped into the older sister's head. "Hey, Quinn, would you go to counseling?" Tiffany asked carefully. Her sister had rejected the idea many times, and she didn't want to push it.

Quinn took a deep breath and looked at the window. Her world had gotten so small; it felt like she wasn't in Lima anymore. Maybe a therapist would be able to tell her the things she couldn't figure out. Maybe a therapist could straighten out her head. Still, Quinn was too proud to go through it alone. "Only if you come with me," she answered, trying to please her sister. Quinn owed Tiffany this much. Her older sister smiled at the answer. Things were starting to turn around. Tiffany just hoped it was for good.


	11. Need You Now

Lima Hospital, 5:00 PM

Quinn sat uncomfortably in a conference room. After reluctantly agreeing to attend some kind of counseling, Tiffany revealed that she had already signed Quinn up for a group counseling session that met twice a week. Family members were only allowed to go to the second session of the week. This was her first day going, and she was extremely nervous. Quinn had never been good at talking about her problems. A therapist would probably say that she tried to forget about the past by pretending it didn't happen. She looked around the room and studied the seven other people there. There were a few girls Quinn recognized from Nationals, one blacked-haired girl with white bandages around her wrists, one brunette that looked like she belonged on the runway, a guy with bleach blonde hair that was almost blinding, and an African American girl who strangely reminded her of Mercedes. The girl's skin was a deep chocolate, and she had black hair that sprung out in tight curls. All the people in the room had dull eyes, Quinn noticed. Even herself.

"First session?" the brunette girl asked, an eyebrow raised. Quinn nodded her head, trying to calm her shaking hands. "I figured. Welcome to a huge waste of two hours. My name is Jordin." Jordin stuck her hand out. Quinn gently shook it. "Where do you go to school?"

"McKinley," Quinn answered casually. Truthfully, she hated admitting where she went to school. McKinley had a bad rap for basically everything. The Cheerios were their saving grace. Without them, the school wouldn't even be on the map.

"Oh, I have a cousin who goes there. He's a junior," Jordin replied, taking her hair out of its ponytail and braiding it.

"What's his name? Maybe I know him." Quinn questioned.

"His name is Artie. He's paralyzed below the waist, so he's in a wheelchair. Artie's one of the coolest guys I know." Jordin answered, a genuine smile on her face.

Quinn's eyes bugged out. This was Artie's cousin? No offense to Artie, but this girl looked like she could walk a runway. Artie was cute for a AV geek, but he certainly didn't have modeling genes. "I know Artie. We're in glee club together, and my friend Brittany dated him for a little while," Quinn responded, her face surprised.

Jordin looked up from her braid. "Is that the same Brittany who made my cousin a man?" Quinn, blushing at the question, nodded her head yes. "Tell her I said congratulations," Jordin added. Quinn couldn't contain her laughter. Brittany would probably say thanks, too.

"Well, I hope you didn't start the party without me," a voice from behind them said. Quinn noticed Jordin's face go blank. She turned around to see a middle-aged woman with dark red hair and cat-eyed glasses walking towards them, a blue folder in her hands. That must be the therapist, Quinn thought to herself. The woman turned to face her. "You must be Quinn Fabray. My name is Dr. Marquis, but you can call me Ms. Anna."

"Or the devil," Jordin muttered under her breath. Ms. Anna turned to look at her.

"Did you say something, Jordin?" she asked suspiciously. Jordin quickly nodded her head no. "That's what I thought." Ms. Anna sat down in the last empty chair between Jordin and the black-haired girl. "So, I'm going to explain how this works again for Quinn. We go around in a circle, and everyone shares something. You can share whatever you like. Something about the past, the present, or the future. If you can't something, I'll ask you questions based off of what's in your file. Understand?" Quinn nodded her head once again. "Ginger, let's start with you today."

The rest of them listened as Ginger described the first time she cut herself. "And I just picked up a knife and studied it for a while. My parents were still screaming at each other, and I figured that…" She was unable to finish the sentence.

"The pain would make their fighting less loud," Quinn added for her. Everyone turned to look at her. Ginger looked her straight in the eyes.

"Yeah," she replied, her expression surprised. Quinn remembered nights she would skip meals, praying that the growling of her stomach would dull the sound of her parents fighting once again. It never worked. If anything, it made the sounds louder.

"I know the feeling," Quinn admitted. "When I was little, my sister would always sing to me so I wouldn't have to hear my parents fighting. When she left, I tried to find my own way to block it out."

Ms. Anna sensed a soft spot there. "What song would she sing you?" the therapist asked gently. Quinn thought about it for a moment.

"Mostly oldies stuff and Disney songs. A lot of Beatles. My parents were big Beatles fans," Quinn remembered. The voices of those charming Brits had filled her head for as long as she could remember.

The rest of the session was spent discussing the music they loved as children. Jordin confessed to an Elvis obsession, and Ms. Anna admitted to a Journey fetish. Quinn jokingly said she should go out with Mr. Schuester.

Little Caesar's Pizza, 8:00 PM

Puck stared at the clock, counting down the minutes until his shift ended. Sure, he was thankful for the extra cash, but the place was always dead on weeknights. Puck wasn't even sure why they paid for two people to be on the job those five nights. It would make more sense just be open to five, but no, the idiots at whatever corporation that owned the joint decided it should be open at night. Puck really couldn't complain, though, since he was getting paid to do four hours of nothing but hanging with his best friend five nights a week.

Finn was in the back taking inventory. Puck made a mental night to go over Finn's list at closing to make sure the numbers added up. The quarterback wasn't the greatest with numbers. He copied off of Brittany for God's sake. The girl thought two plus two equals unicorns. Still, Brittany had her wise moments. Like when she told him that he didn't really like Santana. Her exact words were, "Puck, you like Santana because she's hot. I think she's hot, too, but she's also more than that. You like Quinn because she's Quinn. Go be with her." Puck was snapped out of his memories when the phone rang. He groaned at the thought of it being a delivery. It was almost the end of his shift. Puck ran to answer it.

"Hello, Little Caesar's Pizza, how may I help you?" he answered like the protocol sheet next to the phone instructed.

"Hey, Puck, it's Tiffany. Can you do me a favor?" the voice asked.

"Sure," Puck answered immediately. His mother had taught him to always help out women if asked. It was one of those things his bad-ass persona couldn't ignore.

"Go to Lima Hospital and pick up Quinn. She should be out front." Puck stopped and thought about the request. Why was Quinn at the hospital? "She had a therapy session there today," Tiffany added to answer any questions Puck might have.

"Okay," Puck replied, still a bit confused. What was Quinn going to a therapist for? The eating thing?

"Thanks a ton. Bye." Tiffany said, hanging up the phone quickly. Puck hung up the phone. He grabbed his jacket. "Hey, Finn," he hollered over to his best friend. Finn turned around. "I have to go do something. Can you close?" Finn nodded his head, knowing Puck wouldn't ask him to do that unless it was important. Puck walked out the door and headed to his car. He drove to the hospital, thinking about Quinn. The girl was always on his mind. It was like a disease. Puck hoped he'd find a cure really soon.


	12. Pocketful of Sunshine

**A/N: Sorry for the mistake! Just to clarify, Tiffany was in San Francisco, not San Diego. Sorry if that confused any of you. **

Lima Hospital Parking Lot, 8:15 PM

Quinn stood outside of the hospital, rubbing her arms for warmth. She hadn't realized how cold it was outside. The wind sent chills down her spine. Winter was definitely coming up, and so were Sectionals. She wondered who was going to get the solo this time. Most likely Rachel. Quinn doubted the diva ever remembered not getting a solo. Sure, they were good friends now, but it still bothered her that Rachel always got the leads. She wasn't the only one with a good voice. Mercedes could belt it out like no one's business, and Santana had a great set of popes. Of course, Quinn would be lying if she said that she wasn't thinking herself as well. She knew she had a good voice, not as trained as Rachel's, but with more heart. If Quinn had anything, it was heart.

She looked around for her sister. Tiffany had promised to send someone to pick her up, stating that she had a business call for her club back in San Francisco. Quinn had forgotten Tiffany had a life somewhere else, one that didn't involve her. She secretly hoped her sister never went back. Quinn liked her around. The wind blew harder, and she shivered again. She should've gone with Jordan, who had offered her a ride. The two girls had exchanged cell phone numbers, and Quinn had a feeling they'd be good friends. It would be nice to have a friend who knew exactly what she was going through. Of course, Jordan seemed a little stubborn in therapy. She had a feeling the girl didn't want to be treated.

Finally, Quinn heard the sounds of tires approaching the hospital. She turned around and was surprised by what she saw. It was Puck, sitting in his truck, with a smirk on his face. "Tiffany said you needed a ride," he answered after seeing her befuddled expression. Quinn wordless got into the passenger seat. They sat in silence for a few minutes before she starting messing with the radio. "What are you doing?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Quinn shrugged. "Well, since neither of us wants to talk, I figured some music would be good," she answered casually. Puck nodded as she continued to mess with the radio. Finally, a song caught Quinn's ear. She turned it up and started to sing along.

I got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine

I got a love and I know that it's all mine, oh, oh oh oh

Do what you want but you're never gonna break me

Sticks and stones are never gonna break me, oh, oh oh oh

Take me away, a secret place

A sweet escape, take me away

Take me away to better days

Take me away, a hiding place

I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine

I got a love and I know that it's all mine, oh, oh oh oh

Do what you want but you're never gonna break me

Sticks and stones are never gonna break me, oh, oh oh oh

Puck got fed up with the song by the second verse. "Enough!" he shouted, turning off the radio. Quinn just gave him an amused look. "I have a younger sister, and even she's less annoying than that."

She smirked. "I'll be sure to tell Sarah that the next time I see her," Quinn responded teasingly. Puck mock-glared at her, and they went back into a comfortable silence. Finally, Puck decided to say something.

"So, how was therapy?" he questioned casually, not looking at Quinn. Puck knew that would put more pressure on her to answer.

"Fine," she answered vaguely. Quinn didn't want to tell Puck Ginger's heartbreaking story about how she had started to cut herself. Apparently, Ginger's parents were a lot like Quinn's: rich, high-society types that were very considered with their reputations. Of course, Ginger's dad repeatedly cheated on Ginger's mom, and the two argued constantly and quite loudly. It got to the point where the only time they weren't arguing was when they were sleeping, but only because they slept in separate bedrooms. All of this fighting left little time for them to worry about their daughter. Ginger stopped eating and lost a lot of weight, hoping to gain their attention and approval. When that didn't work, she found comfort in the knife.

"Anything interesting happen?" Puck tried again. He was going to get something out of her whether she liked it or not.

Quinn shrugged. "Not really," she replied, her tone bored. "Well, I did meet Artie's cousin," she added as an afterthought.

"Really? What was she like?" Puck questioned, his curiosity overriding his bad-assness.

"The complete opposite of Artie," Quinn replied with a chuckle. "She looks like she should be walking a runway somewhere. Jordin is really witty and sarcastic too."

"She sounds cool," Puck responded, noticing the excitement in Quinn's eyes. It was clear she had made a new friend today.

"Yeah she is," Quinn said calmly. "I think she's being forced to attend the sessions, though." Something about this seemed off to her. Jordin hadn't shared anything the meeting other than her Elvis obsession.

Puck turned to look at Quinn, his eyes soft. "Like you?" he questioned carefully. Quinn felt her blood start to boil.

"No," she replied sharply, glaring at Puck. After seeing his scared expression, Quinn softened. "Nobody's making me go," she confessed. "Sure, Tiffany encouraged it, but if I had told her I wasn't ready to go, she would've respected that. I'm just sick of it."

Quinn's last sentence confused Puck. "Sick of what?" he asked, hoping for a little clarification. To the bad boy's surprise, he got a lot more than that.

"Not being in control of my life," Quinn answered honestly. She felt hot tears start to roll down her cheeks. "Since I was fourteen years old, I've just always felt this need to be perfect. I felt like that, if I was perfect, maybe things would be different. Maybe my parents wouldn't fight, and maybe my sister would come back…" Quinn trailed off. "When I first stopped eating, I felt powerful, in total control. But as time went on, I starting to feel more and more lost. I couldn't even touch a fry without freaking out. When I found out I was pregnant, I was so scared. I thought that someone who couldn't ate a meal without crying about it wouldn't handle a child well." She stopped talking and started to sob. Puck looked around and pulled into the parking lot of the nearby park. He leaned over and hugged Quinn, letting her cry on his shoulder.

"Hey, Beth came out healthy and beautiful. I think you deserve a lot of credit for that," he whispered softly. Quinn looked up at him with her tear-filled eyes.

"Only because I put my issues aside long enough to make sure she was okay. I had to think of someone else. And after I had her, it was like nothing had changed. I lost the weight quickly, and it just felt natural. God, I'm such a screw-up," Quinn said, trying to wipe her eyes.

Puck grabbed her hands and looked her straight in the eye. "Quinn, you're not a screw-up. Everyone makes mistakes. It's just a part of life. What matters is what you do to try to fix your mistakes. In your case, I think you've done a good job," he insisted stubbornly. "Plus, I like the fact you're not perfect. You're a challenge. I've known you for years, and yet there's a lot about you I don't know. You don't have to perfect. You just need to be you," Puck admitted, knowing how cheesy he sounded. But that was okay. Sometimes, you needed to say the things that needed to be said. On that note, he leaned in and softly kissed Quinn on the lips, startling her and creating a whole new set of issues for the girl to maul over.


	13. Courage

Fabray Home, 8:30

The rest of the drive home was very quiet. Quinn avoided Puck's gaze, knowing that a huge discussion would happen if she gave in. As soon as he parked in front of her, the former Cheerio ran out of the car, saying a quick thanks as she left. This left Puck confused but determined. He pulled out of the driveway with hope of dealing with the issue tomorrow. Quinn ran to the front door even once she was sure Puck was gone. She was completely breathless, and she needed to talk to Tiffany. Digging in her purse, Quinn pulled out her key and let herself. She walked into her dimly lit house. Luckily, the light in Tiffany's room was still on. The younger Fabray girl crept down the hallway quietly. She didn't want to wake her mother up. Mrs. Fabray had finally started to sleep normally again. Quinn tapped on the door lightly. "Come in," the voice from inside called out. She opened the door and walked in. Her older sister was on the bed, looking through an old scrapbook.

Tiffany looked up and studied Quinn's face. She could always tell when something was wrong with her younger sister. It was almost like a sixth sense; she suspected all older sisters had it. "Hey, what's wrong?" Tiffany asked gently. Quinn said nothing. Instead, she got up on her sister's bed and leaned her head against the older girl's shoulder. Tiffany held her baby sister in her arms just like she used to do when they were little.

"Tiffany, am I a bad person?" Quinn asked in a voice that was heartbreaking. Tiffany looked at her sister in astonishment.

"No!" she answered forcefully. Calming herself, Tiffany reassured her little sister. "No, you're not a bad person. Making bad decisions doesn't make you a bad person."

"Then how come I feel bad all the time? Why do I feel mad and sad and guilty? Why do I feel like everything's my fault?" Quinn sobbed. It had been a while since she let herself cry like this. Tiffany didn't say anything for a while. Instead, she flipped to the beginning of the scrapbook. On the first page was a picture of a three-year-old Quinn and a seven-year-old Tiffany standing next to a large Christmas tree with tons of presents under it. Quinn smiled at seeing the picture. Christmases had always been fun at the Fabray house. It seemed like the only time of the year everyone put aside their differences to celebrate a day of presents and love.

"Do you remember what was so special about that Christmas?" Tiffany whispered. Quinn shook her head no. "That year, a family in our church lost their house a month before Christmas. They had three little kids, and you were worried that Santa wouldn't be able to find them. Somehow, you convinced Dad to drive you down to the place they were staying, and you split your Christmas gifts with them."

Quinn nodded. She didn't see where her sister was going with this. So she had shared some Christmas gifts when she was little. It didn't mean anything.

"A bad person wouldn't do that. You're not a bad person, Quinn. Making mistakes doesn't make you bad," Tiffany pointed out. "Look at me for example," she continued. "I ran away from home as soon as my diploma was in my hands. Was that a good thing to do? No. Does that mean I'm a bad person? No. Your mistakes don't define you; how you deal with them does. You have courage, Quinn. You always true to fix the mistakes you make in your life, and usually you do a good job. Either way, you try."

Quinn thought about her sister's words and realized she was right. Everyone made mistakes. She had slept with Puck, Rachel had dated Jesse, Tina had lied to Artie… The list went on. Even Mr. Schuester messed up when he made out with the Vocal Adrenaline coach. Suddenly, an idea popped into Quinn's head. She smiled broadly at her sister.

"Thanks, Tif. You're right. And now I have a great idea for a number!" Quinn said happily. She ran off to her room to put everything in place.

"Good talk," Tiffany said to herself. She turned back to the TV. "Wonder if American Idol is on." To her pleasure, it was. Some huge African American woman was do a version of Irreplaceable. She sang along to the show as she watched.

To the left, to the left

To the left, to the left

To the left, to the left

Everything you own in a box to the left

In the closet, that's my stuff

If I bought it, please don't touch

As Tiffany enjoyed the version of Irreplaceable as well as versions of Tomorrow, The Gambler, Thank You, and Another Heart Calls, she thought about the number Quinn mentioned. What was the song, and what was her great idea? Tiffany had no clue, but she couldn't wait to find out. Fabrays did hated surprised after all.

McKinley Choir Room, 2:45 PM

Everyone sat anxiously in the choir room. Quinn had called an emergency rehearsal, and they were all curious to know why. It was now common knowledge in the glee club that the former Cheerio was getting help for a three year battle with an eating disorder no one had known she had. Well, Santana and Brittany had known, but even they couldn't help their friend. The worried faces in the room all indicated that they thought the meeting was about something bad.

Tiffany dismissed the concerns as soon as they came up. "Quinn's better now," she stated with a proud smile. And it was true. Her sister had come a long way since the beginning of the year. She was actually eating normal meals. Sure, it took her a while, and some nights were better than others, but none of that mattered. All that mattered was that Quinn wanted to be healthy. She had started to really see what she was doing, and the blonde girl made her sister proud.

"Yeah, I bet it's not about that," Mercedes agreed. "She's a lot healthier now. We all see her eat lunch every day now."

"Really slowly," Puck reminded her.

"But she's eating regardless," Mercedes shot back. At that moment, Quinn walked in. She looked gorgeous in a white tank top, jean skirt, and multi-colored sandals. It was still nice in Lima, which everyone appreciated. Her hear was curled and down, and there was slight color on her cheeks. The best thing was her beaming smile. Santana and Brittany gave each other a high five. Their friend was back.

"Hey, guys!" she greeted enthusiastically. "I know we didn't have a rehearsal today, but I came up with a number I had to show you. And to help me, I brought a couple of friends." Quinn turned towards the door. "You guys can come in!" she shouted. A bunch of super skinny girls walked into the choir room. One of them waved to Artie. He waved back.

"Quinn, who are these girls?" Mr. Schuester asked curiously.

"My therapy group," Quinn replied proudly with her head held high. "We've been working on a little number we think you guys need to hear." The girls took their places, Quinn in the front. She turned to Brad and nodded. He started to play a song.

I told another lie today

And I got through this day

No one saw through my games

I know the right words to say

Like I don't feel well

I ate before I came

Then someone tells me how good I look

And for a moment, for a moment

I am happy

But when I'm alone, no one hears me cry

I need you to know

I'm not through the night

I'm still fighting to walk towards the light

I need you to know

That we'll be okay

Together we will make it through another day

I don't know the first time I felt unbeautiful

The day I choose not to eat

What I do know is how it changed my life forever

I know I should know better

There are days when I'm okay

And for a moment, for a moment

I find hope

But there are days when I'm not okay

And I need your help

So I'm letting go

I need you to know

I'm not through the night

Some days I'm still fighting to walk towards the light

I need you to know

That we'll be okay

Together we will make through another day

You should know you're not on your own

These secrets are walls that keep us alone

I don't know when but I know now

Together we'll make it through somehow

Together we'll make it through somehow

I need you to know

I'm not through the night

Some days I'm still fighting to walk towards the light

I need you to know

That we'll be okay

Together we can make it through another day

Quinn stopped and looked around the room. Everyone was in shock. Good shock, but shock nonetheless. She smiled at Jordin, who had practically beamed back. Working on this number had been great for the therapy group. Ms. Anna said she had learned more about Jordin in that week than in three months of therapy. She credited part of that to Quinn, who had become a good friend of Jordin's. Apparently, the brunette girl had actually been a model. She had just kept losing weight because she wanted jobs. Her parents got worried and forced her to go to group therapy. Slowly, Quinn had helped her realize it was a good thing.

"So, what do you guys think?" she asked the glee club with a sly smile. They all burst out into applause. She turned to the other girls. "I think they liked it," she whispered with a laugh. Quinn watched happily as she saw her new friends bask in the praise of the glee club. And for once, it wasn't because of their size. They were being applauded for their talent. Quinn remembered the first time that had happened to her and was glad these girls got the same experience. Puck winked at her, and she flashed him a quick smile. The other complication in her life she needed to deal with. Unfortunately, you couldn't go to therapy to get rid of Puck .


	14. I'm Yours

McKinley Choir Room, 5:00 PM

The emergency practice lasted another two hours and fifteen minutes. The glee club was getting to know Quinn's therapy group and, to everyone's surprise, enjoying it. Mr. Schuester and Ms. Anna seemed to be hitting off, which made Jordin and Quinn laugh until they couldn't breathe. The adults were making plans to go see Journey when they were in town next month. Meanwhile, Ginger was having a rap-off with Artie, who was oblivious to the fact that his cousin and ex-girlfriend were deep in conversation. Quinn could sense a new friendship coming on. Brittany seemed to be explaining to Jordin her web blog, which the other girl was fascinated by. Santana was gossiping with some of the girls they knew from Nationals. Puck, Finn, Mike, and Matt were talking to the blonde guy, Sam, who was actually transferring to McKinley the next month. Quinn was pretty sure he'd be joining glee club. The two went to the same church, and she knew he could sing. She also knew Tiffany wouldn't take no for an answer. Quinn turned around to see Kurt and Mercedes engaged in a debate with Tina and Diana, the African American girl with the springy hair. They were talking about which movie star was hotter: Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom. Kurt and Mercedes were for Bloom while Diane and Tina favored Depp. Quinn was just about to give her opinion in this argument when she felt someone behind her whispering, "Follow me." She turned around to see Puck wearing that playful smirk that drove her crazy.

Wordlessly, the blonde cheerleader followed him to the auditorium. Puck pointed to a seat in the front, and Quinn sat down. Seeing her puzzled expression, he started to explain. "Look, I know that there are a lot of things we need to talk about, and I'm willing to do that, but I think that this song really says everything I want to say. So just listen." Puck pulled out his guitar and started to gently strum it and sing. Quinn recognized the tune immediately, and her heart soared.

Well you done done done me and you bet I felt it

I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted

I fell right through the cracks, now I'm trying to get back

Before the cool done run out I'll be giving it my bestest

And nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention

I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some

But I won't hesitate no more, no more

It cannot wait, I'm yours

Well open up your mind and see like me

Open up your mind and damn you're free

Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love

Listen to the music of the moment people, dance and sing

We're just one big family

And it's our God-forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved

So I won't hesitate no more, no more

It cannot wait, I'm sure

There's no need to complicate, our time is short

This is our fate, I'm yours

D-d-do do you, but do you, d-d-do

But do you want to come on

Scooch on over closer dear

And I will nibble on your ear

I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror

And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer

But my breath fogged up the glass

And so I drew a new face and I laughed

I guess what I be saying is there ain't no better reason

To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons

It's what we aim to do, our name is our virtue

But I won't hesitate no more, no more

It cannot wait, I'm yours

Come on and open up your mind and see like me

(I won't hesitate)

Open up your plans and damn you're free

(No more, no more)

Look into your heart and you'll find that the sky is yours

(It cannot wait, I'm sure)

So please don't, there's no need

(There's no need to complicate)

There's no need to complicate

(Our time is short)

'Cause our time is short

(This is our fate)

This is, this is, this our fate

I'm yours

Oh, I'm yours

Oh, I'm yours

Oh, whoa, baby you believe I'm yours

You best believe, best believe I'm yours

Quinn stared at Puck in shock. Every one of the voices in her head that said Puck wasn't ready for a relationship and that she wasn't ready for a relationship was silenced at that moment. Puck, noticing her reaction, nervously asked, "What do you think?" Quinn responded by getting up from her chair, walking up to Puck, and kissing him passionately, wrapping her arms around his neck. Puck responded by wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in closer.

"Well, it looks like this fairytale has a happy ending," a voice from behind them announced. The couple pulled apart to see Tiffany, Mr. Schuester, and the rest of the glee club plus Quinn's therapy group smiling at them.

Quinn rolled her eyes at her older sister. "And since when do you believe in fairytales?" she mocked.

Tiffany raised an eyebrow. "Sweetie, girls like us are why fairy tales were written," she stated with sass worthy of a Fabray. Quinn laughed. "Plus, I feel like our lives have taken a very fairy taleish turn."

Quinn looked at her sister in confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked curiously.

Tiffany smiled widely. "Well, since my club is doing so well back in San Francisco, I've decided to open one up here." She laughed as Quinn's jaw dropped.

"So you're really staying?" Quinn asked hopefully.

"I'm really staying," Tiffany confirmed. The two sisters hugged, and everyone awed.

"Let's go to Charlie's to celebrate!" Brittany suggested excitedly.

Quinn looked over at her friend. "Celebrate what?"

Santana spoke up. "Oh, I don't know, Tiffany staying? You and Puck finally getting together? The old Quinn being back? Sam's transfer? Mr. Schuester finally finding a woman with a Journey fetish? Pick one."

"Or we could celebrate my transfer," Jordin added with a coy smile. Quinn looked over at her friend in surprise.

"Seriously?" she asked.

"Yep!" Jordin answered happily. "My parents want me to go back to school, and so do I. And what better place than McKinley?"

"Well then, let's head to Charlie's!" Quinn proclaimed. And that's exactly what they did. They went to Charlie's and had a blast smashing stuff and dancing to great music.

Quinn felt a great sense of calm she hadn't felt in a long time, and it never left her again. Not when she sang Bleeding Love at Sectionals and not when they won. She didn't lose it when she introduced her mom to Puck for the first time or saw her dad for the first time after the kick-out. And when Thanksgiving came around again, she ate her dinner with a great sense of calm. Quinn was finally in control of her life again, and she had Tiffany to thank for it.


End file.
